CI.  Bk. 


THE  ETHEL  CARR  PEACOCK 
MEMORIAL  COLLECTION 

Matris  amori  moimmentum 


TRINITY  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 


DURHAM,  N.  C. 
1903 

Gift  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Dred  Peacock 


\ 


METHODISM: 


A  SEEMON 


BY 


E.E"v^.  B.  OK.^'VEnsr,  id.  id. 


President  of  Trinity  College, 


NORTH  CAROLINA. 


BALTIMOEE: 

INNES  &  COMPANY,  PRINTERS  AND  BINDERS. 
1868. 


The  following  sermon  was  prepared  for  the  Greensboro'  District  Conference,  and 
was  preached  at  Leaksville,  June  23d,  1867,  and  its  publication  was  generally  de- 
sired. 

It  was  again  preached  at  the  Hillsboro'  District  Conference,  and  was  unanimously 
asked  for  publication  by  the  Quarterly  Conference  of  Hillsboro'  Station.  Mean- 
while, Dr.  Craven  was  earnestly  solicited  to  preach  it  at  the  approaching  Annual  Con- 
ference in  Wilmington,  which  he  did  in  the  j)resence  of  most  of  the  members  of  the 
Conference,  and  the  Conference  passed  a  resolution  unanimously  requesting  its  pub- 
lication. 

The  undersigned,  a  Committee  of  the  Hillsboro'  Quarterly  Conference,  now  have'  i 
the  pleasure  of  presenting  this  discourse  to  the  Church  and  the  public  generally.  j 

We  think  that  it  will  do  good,  that  it  is  a  voice  that  will  find  an  echo  in  many'  | 
hearts,  and  that  it  will  be  the  means  of  stirring  the  Church  up  to  a  higher  and  I' 


holier  life. 


GEO.  LAWS, 
0.  HOOKER, 
D.  D.  PHILLIPS, 


Hillsboro',  N.  C,  June  8th,  1868. 


or 


Oil 


tie 


METHODISM. 


Now  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fello-w  citizens  with  the 
saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God. 

And  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self being  the  chief  corner-stone: 

In  whom  all  the  building,  filly  framed  together  groweth  unto  a  holy  temple  in  the 
Lord : 

In  whom  ye  also  are  builded  together  for  a  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit.  , 
-^Ejjh.  11  :  19,  20,  21,  22. 

"A  Church  of  God"  is  a  congregation  of  believers,  who  have  been  called  by  the 
saving  vocation  of  God  from  the  state  of  corruption  to  the  dignity  of  the  sons  of 
God  through  the  Gospel,  and  are  by  faith  engrafted  into  Christ,  as  living  members 
are  to  the  head  to  the  praise  of  the  glorious  grace  of  God. — Arminius  Disjpt.  18. 

A  Church  is  a  society  of  Christians  meeting  together  in  one  place,  under  their  pro- 
per pastors,  for  the  performance  of  religious  worship,  and  the  exercising  of  Christian 
discipline. — Lord  King,  No.  1,  Sec.  6. 

"A  Church  as  now  we  are  to  understand  it,  is  a  society;  that  is,  a  number  of 
men  belonging  unto  some  Christian  fellowship,  the  place  and  limits  whereof  are  cer- 
tain. That  wherein  they  have  communion,  is  the  public  exercise  of  such  duties  as 
those  mentioned  in  the  Apostles'  Acts,  viz:  'instruction,  breaking  of  bread,  and 
prayer.'  ''—Hooker,  Book  3,  Ch.  1. 

I  shall  attempt  no  discussion  of  legitimacy  or  orthodoxy  ; 
such  considerations,  are  not  embraced  in  my  present  design. 

I  assume  that  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  is  in 
origin,  doctrine  and  discipline,  a  true  Church  of  God,  founded 
clearly  and  truly  upon  Christ,  and  as  fully  sustained  by 
Apostolic  and  patristic  authority  as  any  other  church  ;  and  that 
other  things  being  equal,  the  covenanted  grace  of  God  will  be 
bestowed  upon  us  as  richly  as  upon  any  other  people,  and  that 
the  sacraments  are  divinely  authorized  and  efficacious  in  our 
ministrations. 

I  do  not  think  these  assumptions  incapable  of  proof,  illiberal 
lOr  egotistic,  and  I  hope  the  time  has  passed  when  our  church 
will  either  be  annoyed  by  the  affected  superiority  of  others,  or 


deem  a  defence  necessary  against  ungenerous  and  partizan  crit- 
icism. If  Methodism  is  Scripturally  wrong,  it  is  the  most 
stupendous  and  amazing  error  in  Christian  history  ;  if  its  foun- 
dation is  not  divine  and  its  structures  not  holy,  it  either  con- 
tradicts the  New  Testament  or  the  common  sense  of  the  whole 
civilized  world.  The  New  Testament  says  :  Ye  shall  know 
them  hy  their  fruits.  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs 
of  thistles?"  And  if  Methodism  is  a  moral  thorn-tree,  it  has, 
during  every  season,  for  a  hundred  years,  been  bearing  pro- 
fusely what  all  men  call  genuine  fruits.  And  nurtured  upon 
this  production,  men  and  women  have  grown  up  into  an  un- 
earthly, beautiful  life,  have  died  happily  in  that  faith,  and,  we 
think,  have  gone  to  heaven.  Hence,  we  may  say  of  the  church 
as  one  of  old  said  of  Jesus:  ^'He  answered  and  said,  Whether 
He  be  a  sinner  or  no,  I  know  not :  one  thing  I  know,  that, 
whereas  I  was  blind,  now  I  see." 

I  propose  to  discuss  Methodism  in  its  distinctive  functions  and 
special  agency  in  evangelizing  the  world  ;  and  I  desire  to  do  this 
with  all  charitableness  and  Chrit^tian  courtesy,  not  defaming  or 
disparaging  any  other  church,  and  not  assuming  that  all  truth 
and  spirituality  are  now  confined  exclusively  to  our  commu- 
nion. To  form  a  clear  and  fdir  conception  of  Methodism  as  a 
distinct  and  unique  development  in  and  of  the  general  church 
of  Christ,  we  must  take  our  elements  from  three  distinct 
sources  and  combine  them  together  :  First.  The  progressive 
development  of  the  general  church  ;  Second.  The  political, 
moral  and  social  condition  of  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century  ;  and  Third.  The  motives,  acts  and  results  of  Mr. 
Wesley  and  his  co-laborers.  These  studies  will  not  only  fur- 
nish us  all  facts  needful  for  the  interpretation  of  principles, 
but  will  better  enable  us  to  .see  Christ  in  history,  both  civil 
and  ecclesiastical,  and  will  furnish  the  best  data  for  correct  in- 
ference in  reference  to  any  proposed  expansion  or  reform. 

Our  religion  is  wholly  of  divine  origin  ;  none  of  its  essential 
parts  are  human  ;  but  the  church  visible,  which  is  its  external 
organism  and  its  body,  is  mostly  man's  work.  The  whole 
light  and  power  of  religion  came  not  at  one  time ;  star  after 


6 


star  came  forth  upon  the  dark  sky  of  the  ruined  race,  till  after 
four  thousand  years  of  increase  and  preparation,  the  star  of 
Bethlehem  arose,  announcing  the  sun  that  should  never  set. 
All  these  lights  were  and  are  harmonious  ;  they  proclaimed 
advance,  but  neither  confusion  nor  contradiction ;  Calvary 
was  the  fulfilment  of  Moriah  and  Sinai,  and  the  Gospel  is  a 
new,  verified,  enlarged  and  illuminated  edition  of  the  Old 
Testament.  Not  so,  however,  with  the  ritual  and  discipline  of 
the  visible  church.  Truth  is  eternal  and  unchangeable,  but 
the  modes  and  means  of  its  manifestation  are  variable  and 
temporal.  Outward  forms  have  been  established  by  Divine 
authority,  and  have  been  repealed  by  the  same  ;  they  have 
differed  greatly  according  to  circumstance,  time  and  people, 
and  are  at  all  times  to  be  tested  solely  by  their  efficacy  in 
promoting  the  great  purposes  of  Revelation.  There  is  no 
unity  in  the  Church  of  God  from  Abraham  to  the  present,  if  it 
is  estimated  by  rites,  ceremonies  and  symbols  ;  but  the  unity 
is  unbroken  and  beautiful  through  all  the  ages,  if  we  consider 
its  living  spirit  moving  steadily  onward  to  the  salvation  of 
the  world.  The  old  Jewish  Church  was  a  dispensation  of 
progress,  as  well  as  prophecy,  through  its  whole  history. 
The  emphasis  of  teaching,  providence  and  discipline,  were 
thrown  upon  one  point  till  it  was  developed  ;  then  another  was 
brought  forward  and  wrought  into  life  in  the  same  way,  each 
bringing  an  increasing  prophetic  light.  The  purely  patri- 
archal times  were  the  era  of  doctrine  ;  Moses  inaugurated  the 
period  of  discipline  and  symbolism,  and  David  rose  up  to  the 
spiritual  conceptions  and  higher  life  dimly  foreshadowed  by 
the  old  church.  A  precisely  similar  development  is  manifest 
in  the  church  since  the  crucifixion.  During  the  first  six  hun- 
dred years  after  Christ,  almost  the  whole  effort  of  the  church 
was  directed  to  didactic  theology,  to  obtain  a  correct  belief 
among  the  people,  to  make  them  Christians  in  opinion  and 
speculitive  faith,  and  to  conform  the  nations  in  dogma  and 
polity  to  the  teachings  of  the  New  Testament.  Nothing  could 
be  done  with  the  Jew  till  he  admitted  Christ  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah ;  nor  with  the  heathen;  till  he  forsook  his  gods  of  wood 


6 


and  stone,  and  acknowledged  the  Lord  Jehovali  to  be  the  only 
true  God.  It  was  a  conflict  of  truth  against  error  ;  the  whole 
ground  was  fiercely  contested  ;  and  sometimes,  when  logic 
failed,  more  sanguinary  arms  were  used  against  the  Christian 
teacher.  On  one  side  were  the  bigotry,  prejudice  and  heredi- 
tary pride  of  the  Pharisee  ;  more  than  one  hundred  thousand 
pagan  priests,  presiding  over  thirty  thousand  temples  ;  the  gor- 
geous pantheism  of  Asia,  with  its  vast  stores  of  transcendental 
philosophy  ;  the  ancient  Dualism  of  Egypt,  with  its  myths  and 
symbols  ;  the  profound  and  brilliant  philosophies  of  Greece  ; 
the  solemn  superstition  of  the  Gothic  nations,  and  the  facile 
utilitarianism  of  the  Roman  empire  ;  against  all  these  was 
arrayed  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified.  This 
truth  must  first  be  established,  and  it  could  only  be  done 
by  the  downfall  of  the  others  ;  hence,  it  was  a  contest  of  ex- 
termination. Through  all  these  centuries  the  great  effort  was 
to  overcome  error  of  belief,  and  to  implant  the  true  doctrine. 
The  substance  and  mode  of  preaching,  the  forms  of  worship,  the 
ceremonies  of  the  sacraments  and  the  discipline  of  the  members, 
were  all  directed  specifically  to  this  end.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  seventh  century  the  conflict  was  chiefly  over  ;  all 
the  religions  around  the  Mediterranean  especially,  had  been 
met  and  vanquished  on  every  field  of  argument ;  all  conceiva- 
ble heresies  had  been  defeated  by  the  profoundest  logic,  and 
the  most  masterly  Biblical  exigesis,  and  the  whole  country  gen- 
erally acknowledged  the  truth  of  the  Bible,  from  the  Euphra- 
tes to  Caledonia,  and  from  the  African  desert  to  the  Baltic  Sea. 

This  was  the  epoch  of  belief,  a  developement  of  Christianity 
in  mind  rather  than  heart,  in  orthodoxy  rather  than  piety ;  and 
heresy  was  considered  much  more  damning  than  the  grossest 
immoralities.  The  first  cycle  of  the  Christian  Church  was 
complete,  and  all  things  were  ready  for  activity  and  provi- 
dence upon  some  other  issue. 

The  Middle  Ages  constitute  the  second  epoch,  which  commen- 
ced with  the  increasing  power  and  splendor  of  the  church  in  Rome. 
This  was  the  era  of  ecclesiasticisra.  Christian  legalism  and 
Church  authority.    Hitherto  the  Church  at  large  had  con- 


7 


trolled  all  things  in  the  societies  ;  henceforth  for  a  thousand 
years  a  central  hierarchy  became  lord  and  master.  Doctrine 
received  very  meagre  attention,  practical  piety  still  less  ;  the 
grand  effort  was  to  build  the  visible  church  into  a  theologi- 
cal autocracy  of  temporal  and  spiritual  power,  absolutely  con- 
trolling all  the  political,  social,  civil  and  religious.  To  this 
end,  the  intellect  and  finance  of  the  world  were  taxed  to  build 
those  august  temples  that  are  still  the  wonder  of  nations  ; 
the  ritual  was  enormously  extended  and  made^  more  sacred 
than  the  Apostles'  Creed,  and  the  test  of  good  membership 
was  in  unqualified  obedience  to  priestly  dictation.  By  the  six- 
teenth century.  Church  canons  had  become  more  potent  than 
the  Bible,  and  the  Pope  boldly  claimed  the  mediatorial  throne 
of  Christ.  Against  these  unparalleled  usurpations,  the  Refor- 
mation rose  in  resistless  strength,  claiming  personal  responsi- 
bility to  God  for  all  persons,  and  Justification  by  Faith  as 
cardinal  doctrines  of  the  Christian  dispensation.  The  natural 
love  of  individual  independence,  and  the  inflexible  character 
of  the  Teutonic  race,  permanently  checked  the  sway  of  cleri- 
cal domination,  and  re-established  most  of  the  Church,  north 
and  west  of  the  Alps,  in  the  ancient  orthodox,  speculative 
faith  ;  but  in'  so  doing,  this  immense  portion  of  Christendom 
was  severed  from  the  communion  and  government  of  the 
Italian  and  eastern  Churches.  This  vast  membership  was  thus 
left  to  waste  away  for  want  of  organization,  or,  guided  by 
the  general  principles  of  the  New  Testament,  to  form  such 
ecclesiastical  jurisdictions  and  arrangements,  as  it  thought 
proper. 

Here  is  the  basis  and  origin  of  all  the  Protestant  Churches. 
One  of  them  cannot  be  ecclesiastically  more  in  a  line  of  succes- 
sion from  the  Apostles,  than  another.  All  directly  or  indi- 
rectly and  with  equal  distinctness,  came  away  from  Rome  to- 
gether. By  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  Christian  Reli- 
gion as  interpreted  by  the  Fathers  and  the  Reformers,  every 
man  had  a  divine  right  to  think  for  himself,  and  none  could 
be  accused  of  schism  or  heterodoxy,  so  long  as  he  acted  upon 
just  principles,  and  maintained  the  great  doctrines  of  redemp- 


8 


tion.  Hence  various  divisions  or  denominations  arose  upon 
differences  of  doctrinal  interpretation,  and  upon  diverse  con- 
ceptions of  Church  polity  ;  but  all  were  admitted  to  be  equally 
of  the  Church  general,  and  equally  entitled  to  universal  toler- 
ance and  renpect.  No  one  thought,  at  that  day,  of  excluding 
another  from  the  covenanted  mercies  of  God;  neither  Luther, 
nor  Calvin,  nor  Arminius,  nor  the  prelates  of  Henry  VIII., 
pretended  anything  more  than  greater  truthfulness  in  the 
interpretation  of  doctrine,  or  greater  wisdom  in  ecclesiastical 
organization.  All  not  only  admitted,  but  stoutly  contended, 
that  ritual  forms  and  Church  government  were  optionary  and 
variable ;  and  it  is  only  in  very  recent  times  that  men  have 
brought  sorrow  upon  the  Lord's  people  by  making  a  mode 
essential  to  salvation,  and  a  line  of  descent  as  important  as  the 
divinity  of  Christ.  Those  who  harp  so  much  upon  preach- 
ing the  whole  Gospel  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  should  remember  that  if 
Paul  says :  ^'  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the 
counsel  of  God",  St.  John  says:  *^If  any  man  shall  add 
unto  these  things,  God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that 
are  written  in  this  book":  and  whoever  makes  essential  to 
membership  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  conditions  not  divinely 
authorized,  is  not  only  heretical ;  but  in  vain  do  they  wor- 
ship me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men." 
—Matt.  15  :  9. 

But  now  the  second  epoch  of  the  Church  was  coming  to  an 
end  ;  the  idea  of  organization  and  discipline  had  been  fully 
expanded  and  impressed  upon  the  general  thought  of  the  age  ; 
theology  had  become  the  literature  of  the  times,  and  discipline 
was  quite  as  dominant  as  civil  or  military  law.  From  this 
era  till  the  rise  of  Methodism,  the  different  branches  of  the 
Church  were  adjusting  the  expression  of  their  articles  of  faith, 
establishing  their  rituals,  and  giving  their  pulpit  ministra- 
tions chiefly  to  speculative  theology  and  morals.  At  the  com- 
mencement of  the  eighteenth  century,  orthodox  belief  and 
strict  formalism  constituted  the  test  of  the  genuine  Christian. 
The  two  preceding  epochs  were  combined  and  harmonized. 
The  divine  and  the  human  were  so  well  and  so  generally  estab- 


9 


lished,  that  they  had  generally  ceased  to  be  matters  of  con- 
troversy, and  nearly  the  whole  civilized  world  was  Christian- 
ized in  belief  and  general  observance.  For  seventeen  hundred 
years  the  Clnirch  had  sustained  whatever  life  she  had,  by  her 
orthodoxy  and  morals  ;  during  most  of  the  time,  hope  of 
heaven  had  been  based  much  more  upon  belief  than  practice, 
more  upon  correctness  of  intellect  than  soundness  of  heart. 
But  now  these  phases  of  Christianity  had  completed  their 
work,  and  could  do  no  more  ;  the  body  was  formed  ready  for 
God  to  breathe  into  it  the  spirit  of  life  ;  doctrine  and  organiza- 
tion could  effect  nothing  further  without  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
give  them  vitality.  A  new  developement  was  organically  and 
historically  demanded,  otherwise  the  whole  human  heart 
would  surge  back  to  infidelity or  waste  itself  in  fanaticism. 
A  rapid  decline  was  commencing  in  all  the  Protestant  na- 
tions, that  threatened  both  Church  and  State  with  pollution, 
anarchy  and  ruin.  The  time  had  passed  when  orthodoxy  couM 
control  the  demon  of  scepticism,  and  when  discipline  could 
restrain  the  desires  of  unregenerate  hearts.  The  court  of 
England  was  a  royal  brothel ;  the  play-house  was  the  temple 
where  the  highest  Church  officers  chiefly  worshipped,  and  the 
most  obscene  drama  was  the  favorite  Gospel  of  that  mad  gener- 
ation." 

Swift,  Congreve  and  Dryden  were  robing  sin  in  the  garments 
of  a  Platonic  piety,  and  were  singing  the  multitude  to  death 
eternal ;  Hobbes,  Tindal  jand  Shaftsbury  were  assaulting  all 
things  sacred  with  immense  popularity  ;  and  Gibbon  and  Hume 
were  insidiously  defaming  and  belying  the  past  records  of  the 
Church,  upon  the  historic  page.  A  few  noble  men  of  God 
manfully  defended  the  truth,  but  were  utterly  disregarded  by 
the  scoffers,  hypocrites  and  infidels  in  the  high  places  of  the 
State.  All  the  good  felt  that  something  must  be  done,  that 
some  other  power  must  be  given  or  the  Church  could  not 
stand  ;  that  a  prince  must  arise  in  Israel,  or  the  house  of 
Pavid  would  be  destroyed.  They  saw  and  admitted  that  doc- 
trine and  discipline,  however  perfect,  could  not  control  the 
popular  heart,  throbbing  with  the  huge  life-tides  then  in 


10 


motion.  Then  it  was,  when  the  existing  dispensation  of  pro- 
gress had  wrought  its  work,  and  all  considerate  naen  saw  the 
necessity  of  another,  that  God,  by  the  instrumentality  of 
men,  inaugurated  the  third  epoch  of  Gospel  developement. 

This  is  the  spiritual,  the  divine  life  in  the  soul,  the  living, 
vivifying  incarnation  of  the  Word  of  God.  Hitherto  the 
Church  had  been  studying,  learning  and  thinking,  henceforth 
she  was  to  live  and  feel  '^the  life  that  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God."  Religion  was  no  longer  to  be  simply  belief,  mental 
conviction  and  assent ;  but  upon  orthodox  belief  was  to  be 
founded  a  present,  personal  appropriating  faith  that  brings  the 
whole  Trinity  into  the  soul,  and  creates  a  new  and  joyous  life. 
The  people  of  God  were  now  to  realize  an  experience  but 
little  known  for  sixteen  hundred  years,  and  in  some  respects 
richer  than  anything  in  the  past ;  the  foreshadowings  of  Pen- 
tecost were  to  become  daily  realities,  transforming  the  Church 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  coining  from  actual  heart-life  Charles 
Wesley's  grand  exultation  : 

"  0  glorious  hope  of  perfect  love  I 
It  lifts  me  up  to  things  above; 

It  bears  on  eagle's  wings ; 
It  gives  my  ravished  soul  a  taste, 
And  makes  me  for  some  moments  feast 

With  Jesus,  priests  and  kings." 

Methodism  was  and  is  the  providentially  appointed  embodi- 
ment, the  organism  and  the  exponent  of  this  third  stage  of  de- 
velopement, this  humanity  born  and  made  alive  in  the  Gospel, 
this  spiritualism  of  the  general  Church. 

In  all  history  no  other  Church  ever  arose  like  the  Methodist ; 
all  others  without  exception  have  had  a  sectional,  a  theologi- 
cal or  an  ecclesiastical  basis  of  difference  given  as  the  real  or 
ostensible  reason  of  formation  ;  but  the  only  landmark  known 
to  the  Methodist,  was  an  earnest  desire  to  flee  the  wrath  to 
come  and  to  be  saved  fro'n  sin."  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  co-la- 
borers arose  within,  not  from  the  Episcopal  Church  chiefly, 
not  to  preach  any  new  doctrine,  not  to  propose  ecclesiastical 
reform,  not  to  found  a  sect ;  but  by  the  grace  of  God  to  con- 
form men  to  the  doctrines  already  taught,  to  regenerate  the 


11 

Church  and  to  convert  the  world.  With  unimportant  excep- 
tions, there  was  not  even  an  attempt  at  theological  or  eccle- 
siastical controversy  ;  furious  opposition  was  made  to  the  zeal 
and  exhortation,  hut  very  little  to  the  theoretical  doctrine  ; 
whole  congregations  were  troubled  and  smitten  in  soul  by  the 
burning  power  of  the  Word,  and  sometimes  stoned  the  mes- 
senger, while  they  mentally  approved  the  substance  of  the 
message.  The  object  of  these  men  was  to  spread  scriptural 
holiness  over  the  land  ;  their  themes  were  Repentance,  Faith, 
Justification,  Regeneration,  Sanctification,  and  the  Witness  of 
the  Spirit ;  every  sermon  abounded  in  vehement  appeals  in- 
stantly to  accept  the  offered  mercy  of  God  and  be  saved  from 
sin  ;  their  temples  were  the  regular  churches,  private-houses, 
the  coal-pits  of  Newcastle  or  the  suburbs  of  Bristol ;  and  their 
labors  were  freely  given  to  all  who  would  hear  them. 

The  Methodist  is  truly  and  scripturally  a  Church  ;  Method- 
ism really  is  the  mode,  intention,  power  and  divine  purpose, 
to  be  maintained  and  executed  by  the  Methodist  or  any  other 
Church,  that  will  live  and  act,  and  be  what  God  clearly  de- 
signs His  general  Church  to  be  in  this  the  nineteenth  century. 
If  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  is  deficient  in  any 
essential  particular,  all  other  Protestant  Churches  are  unmis- 
takeably  in  the  same  condition  ;  but  it  is  a  Church  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  and  not  by  the  design  of  men  ;  it  was  a  Church 
before  any  man  intended  that  it  should  be  so  ;  and  its  existence, 
plan  and  organization,  are  as  clear  creations  of  providence  as 
the  Church  at  Jerusalem  or  Ephesus. 

As  a  Church,  ours  is  not  the  exponent  and  special  defender  of 
any  theological  dogma  or  polity  ;  but  it  is  the  avowed  and  ad- 
mitted supporter  and  representative  of  the  personal  applica- 
tion and  realization  of  all  orthodox  doctrine  in  the  life  and 
hope  of  mankind.  We  can  demolish  speculative  error  and 
defend  true  doctrine  as  successfully  as  others,  but  this  generally 
is  extraneous  to  our  special  mission,  and  is  far  from  being  our 
great,  primary  work  ;  God  has  called  us  to  seek  the  present 
salvation  of  souls,  practically  to  expound  the  great  doctrines  of 
the  Gospel,  and  urge  their  immediate  acceptance  with  zeal  and 


12 


power.  But  we  shall  understand  Methodism  as  exhibited  in  our 
Church  better,  by  noticing  certain  developements  and  results 
that  arose  with  our  Church,  and  are  its  peculiar  and  distinc- 
tive features,  except,  'is  in  part  or  in  whole,  they  have  since 
been  appropriated  by  other  Churches.  Nor  is  this  appropria- 
tion wonderful  in  fact,  nor  derogatory  to  the  appropriators,  for 
the  Methodist  has  confessedly  done  much  to  spiritualize  all  the 
other  churches,  and  has  brought,  them  very  nearly  as  many 
members  from  the  world  of  sinners,  as  they  have  procured 
for  themselves. 

DISTINCTIVE  FUNCTIONS  OF  METHODISM. 

Instantaneous  Conversion,  I.  Though  this  doctrine  was  not 
theologically  or  historically  new,  no  one  had  previously  taught 
it  as  did  Mr.  Wesley.  In  all  the  ages  of  the  church  after  the 
Apostolic  days,  it  had  never  before  been  preached  as  an  imperious 
present  necessity.  It  had  not  been  apprehended  that  the  fiery 
tongues  of  the  law,  the  impassioned  tones  of  prophecy,  and  the 
gentle  eloquence  of  Jesus,  all  united  in  one  soul-absorbing  ap- 
peal to  sinners  to  repent  to-day.  No  one  had  taught  them  that 
they  can  begin  now  and  command  the  means  of  salvation,  that 
they  may  be  converted  to-day  ;  and  that  conversion  may  be, 
and  generally  is,  instantaneous.  This  was  the  grand  message 
of  the  first  Methodist  preachers,  the  result  to  which  all  their 
efforts  were  directed,  the  end  to  be  gained  by  every  form  and 
manner  of  sermon  or  service.  Not  only  the  open,  notorious 
sinners  of  the  time,  but  grave  churchmen  and  professors  of 
every  communion,  were  astonished  and  offended  to  hear  these 
new  preachers  thundering  through  the  land, — 

"  Repent  the  voice  celestial  cries  ; 
No  longer  dare  delay  ; 
The  wretch  that  scorns  the  mandate  dies, 
And  meets  a  fiery  day." 

Nor  was  it  less  disagreeable  to  the  great  body  of  the  nobility 
and  gentry,  and  to  the  moralists,  to  hear  it  proclaimed  to  the 
poorest,  meanest  and  most  degraded  : 


.  13 

"  Come,  all  ye  souls  by  sin  oppressed, 
Ye  restless  wand'rers  after  rest, 
Ye  poor,  and  maimed,  and  halt,  and  blind, 
In  Christ  a  hearty  welcome  find." 

This  present  personal  application  of  doctrine  is  essentially 
Methodistic  ;  it  arose  with  us,  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God, 
has  accomplished  marvels  in  the  history  of  life.  It  is  to-day, 
and  will  continue  to  be,  one  of  our  cardinal  points  ;  as  long 
as  we  are  true  to  it,  we  shall  march  with  advancing  civiliza- 
tion and  growing  empires  ;  when  we  neglect  it,  we  shall  have 
forsaken  the  mission  to  which  God  has  called  us,  our  heart 
will  stand  still  and  our  church  will  die.  We  are  fundamen- 
tally, and  by  the  calling  of  God  practically  and  constantly 
aggressive  against  sin  ;  and  jf  there  can  be  a  difference,  we 
are  rather  to  persuade  men  to  do  what  they  know,  than  to  teach, 
them  what  they  do  not  know.  We  can  truly  say  with  Paul 
and  his  co-laborers  :  Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for 
Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  :  we  pray  you  in 
Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God." — 2  Cov.  5  :  20. 

When  the  Methodist  Church  ceases  to  have  conversions  at 
her  altars,  she  will  be  recreant  to  the  anointing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  ;  and  when  her  ministers  in  Gospel  simplicity  no  longer 
faithfully  warn  sinners,  and  invi'te  them  to  the  Lamb  of  God, 
they  will  lose  the  power  that  has  morally  revolutionized  whole 
countries,  and  has  moved  both  the  city  and  the  wilderness  to 
wails  of  anguish  and  shouts  of  joy.  The  mourners'  bench  is, 
or  ought  to  be,  a  part  of  every  Methodist  Church,  and  in- 
vitations to  occupy  it  ought  to  be  much  more  frequent  than  they 
are.  The  conversion  of  souls  under  our  ministry,  constitutes  a 
part  of  the  tests  of  our  divine  call  to  the  pulpit,  and  the  same 
.results  ought  to  be  required  as  an  evidence  of  our  continual 
fitness  for  the  work.  This  is  the  work  God  has  raised  us  up 
to  do,  and  is  both  the  strength  and  special  glory  of  the  Church. 
We  hasten  to  perishing  multitudes,  to  the  weary  and  des- 
ponding, the  poor  and  the  afflicted,  all  these  we  warn  with 
earnestness  and  tears,  and  offer  them  a  present  salvation. 
This  work  suits  us  and  we  suit  the  work,  and  in  it  we  enjoy 
the  love  of  God.    When  penitents  are  weeping  and  souls  are 


14 


converted,  the  church  grows  in  strength  and  unutterahle  rich- 
ness ;  as  laymen  we  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakeabie  and  full  of 
glory,"  as  preachers  we  feel  the  grandeur  and  power  of  the 
ministerial  call.  We  never  so  appreciate  the  riches  of  redeem- 
ing grace,  never  do  we  come  so  near  knowing  ''what  is  the 
breadth  and  length  and  depth  and  height  of  the  love  of  Christ 
in  redemption  never  do  we  stand  so  far  within  the  borders 
of  Canaan,  and  see  so  clearly  the  glory  of  the  city  of  God,  as 
when  a  great  congregation  is  moved  with  pungent  convictions 
and  electrified  by  brilliant  conversions.  This  is  the  special 
mission,  the  origin  and  the  essential  life-work  of  Methodism, 
and  no  one  will  ever  understand  and  appreciate  our  church, 
'  or  become  greatly  attached  to  it,  or  work  successfully  in  it, 
who  does  not  recognize  that  our  great  leading  work  is  at  once 
to  bring  sinners  to  Christ  by  genuine  repentance  and  Gospel 
regeneration.  This  is  the  key-stone  of  our  system,  the  central 
idea  of  this  Christian  developement.  As  a  church  of  forms  and 
ritual  ceremonies,  our  church  would  be  a  poor,  ineflScieut  or- 
ganization. We  offer  very  little  that  is  attractive  to  mere 
morality  or  sentimental  piety.  We  must  have  experimental 
religion,  and  when  this  glows  with  divine  fervor  in  the  hearts 
of  the  membership,  no  church  was  ever  so  attractive  as  ours. 
This  leading  principle,,  as  above  stated,  developed  in  the 
mind  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  associates,  three  other  distinctive 
characteristics  of  Methodism,  all  harmonious  with  each  other, 
and  clearly  deducible  from  the  Word  of  God.  Hence,  the  next, 
the  second,  element  of  Methodism  arose  naturally  and  neces- 
sarily. 

"2.  The  Use  of  the  Emotional  in  Religious  Exercises, — Prior 
to  the  time  of  Mr.  Wesley,  preaching  had  been  almost  exclu- 
sively addressed  to  the  intellect ;  the  truths  of  the  Gospel 
were  supposed  to  need  no  human  aid  but  a  subtle  and  profound 
logic  ;  clear,  cold  conviction  was  deemed  all  that  was  necessary 
to  establish  the  kingdom  of  Christ :  but  the  Wesleys,  "Whit- 
field and  others  saw  that  the  emotional  was  taught  by  Christ, 
that  it  was  according  to  Apostolic  usage,  and  that  it  was  a 


15 


means  of  tremendous  potency  for  good.    To  sliow  men  their 
duty  and  tlieir  danger,  is  not  sufficient  ;  they  must  he  aroused 
to  immediate  action  and  snatched  ^s  brands  from  the  burning. 
As  the  angel  hurried  and  helped  Lot  away  from  Sodom,  so 
must  careless,  perishing  sinners  be  moved  by  every  truthful* 
means  to  escape  the  fiery  storm  of  eternal  deaih.    The  first 
thing  that  attracted  public  attention,  was  the  popular  speech 
and  burning  zeal  of  the  Methodist  movement ;  the  pathos  of 
a  rude,  but  resistless  oratory  was  exciting  crowds  beyond  all 
precedent ;  death,  hell  and  heaven,  were  drawn  in  lines  of  fire 
upon  sinful  souls  ;  Moorfields,  Bristol  and  Kiagswood  were 
in  unparalleled  commotion  ;  London,  Manchester,  and  New- 
castle were  intensely  excited,  and  a  huge  groan  of  agony 
rolled  from  the  unwashed  colliers  of  Cornwall  to  the  cool 
Scot  upon  the  banks  of  the  Tweed.    The  preaching  was  simple 
in  subject,  plain  in  style,  and  without  rhetorical  finish  ;  but 
it  was  all  aglow  with  overwhelming  emotion,  and  was  sent  as  a 
shower  of  Gospel-fire  upon  the  heart.    To  save  souls  from  a 
storm  of  wrath  already  thundering  upon  the  horizon  of  life,  was 
the  single  aim  of  all ;  no  means  noreff'ort  must  be  left  untried  ; 
whatever  could  make  men  feel  and  bring  them  within  the 
movings  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  must  be  used  ;  wherever  the 
intrenchments  of  the  soul  were  weakest,  there  the  assault  must 
be  made.    This  was  new  in  the  church,  unheard  of  by  men  of 
the  world,  and  apparently  alarming  to  the  devil  hiraself.  The 
prince  of  darkness  could  manage  prosy  moral  sermons,  keen- 
edged  logic  and  all  the  schools  of  philosophy,  but  he  was 
fairly  beaten  when  sinners  quaked  and  trembled,  and  felt  that 
the  pains  of  hell  had  taken  hold  upon  them."    Then  arose 
a  storm  of  contempt,  ridicule,  abuse  and  misrepresentation, 
followed  by  mobs,  brickbats,  and  personal  abuse  even  unto 
death  ;  but  all  in  vain.   The  great  popular  heart  had  felt  the 
fiery  edge  of  the  law,  and  had  heard  the  thunderings  of  Sinai ; 
and  the  good  sense  of  the  nation  saw  that  men  and  women  came 
back  from  seasons  of  intense  excitement,  from  the  mourners' 
bench,  from  the  cries  of  the  penitent  and  the  shouts  of  the 
converted,  more  useful  and  agreeable  neighbors,  and  better 


16 


citizens.  This  is  the  grand  human  agency  in  the  arraory  of 
Methodism.  All  men  expect  Methodist  people  to  use  and  show 
the  emotional  in  religion,  and  we  veritably  believe  that  God 
requires  it  of  us.  A  sentimental,  affected  refinement  pretends 
•to  despise  it,  as  derogatory  to  the  Church  and  vulgar  by  the 
code  of  manners;  but  such  pretence  is  founded  upon  miscon- 
ception, pedantry  or  something  worse.  Revivals,  as  we  under- 
stand them,  are  ineffective,  if  not  impossible,  without  emotion  ; 
they  arose  with  us,  have  been  blessed  of  God  unto  salvation  with 
us,  and,  God  being  our  helper,  they  shall  never  cease  until 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  and  his  Christ."  There  may  be  excess,  sometimes  hypo- 
critical pretence,  and  in  many  places  a  rudeness  to  be  deplored; 
but  slight  abuse  can  never  ^'  disparage  a  means  that  has  broken 
the  hardest  hearts,  arrested  the  most  depraved,  and  sent  ruined 
prodigals  home  from  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

Thousands  of  precious  souls  in  the  church  militant",  and  a 
vast  multitude  now  in  glory,  first  heeded  the  Gospel  call  in  an 
hour  of  intense  excitement ;  when  the  preacher,  in  the  greatness 
of  inspired  passion,  moved  the  congregation  as  with  the  finger 
of  God,  overthrew  the  barriers  of  opposing  human  reason  and 
won  souls  to  Jesus  through  the  power  of  the  affections  ;  or  it 
may  have  been  at  an  hour,  when  one  from  a  group  of  respect- 
able unconverted  citizens  has  arisen  in  the  great  congregation, 
and  with  streaming  tears,  has  pressed.to  the  altar  ;  or  when  a 
child  has  been  converted  with  a  splendor  that  thrilled  souls 
with  overwhelming  power.  At  such  times  the  stubbornness 
of  nature  gives  way;  the  spirit  yields  to  fear,  or  remorse,  or 
desire,  when  it  would  scorn  all  argument ;  and  pride  succumbs 
to  feeling  when  it  would  resist  all  the  logic  in  the  universe. 
You  have  seen  the  gray-headed  sinner  for  whom  a  generation 
of  the  good  have  wept  and  prayed  in  vain  ;  unmoved  he 
has  heard  Olin  and  Bascorn,  Moses  and  all  the  prophets  ;  but 
at  the  protracted  meeting  his  little  grand-daughter,  the  darling 
and  pet  of  his  old  age,  was  brilliantly  converted  ;  no  sooner 
had  the  sweet  child  arisen,  all  radiant  with  glory,  than  hasten- 
ing through  the  congregation,  she  lays  her  hand  electric 
with  divine  love  upon  that  prayerless  gray-head,  and  talks  to 


17 


him  in  the  rich  dialect  of  a  new-born  soul.  That  head  falls 
lower  and  still  lower,  and  soon  the  old  man  kneels  before  the 
Lord  his  God,  and  at  evening  time  they  return  home,  holding 
sweet  counsel  and  praising  the  Lord  together. 

It  is  through  the  emotional  that  instruction  bears  fruit,  that 
argument  becomes  practically  effective,  and  that  conviction 
leads  on  to  conversion  ;  along  every  golden  chain  that  con- 
nects the  heart  with  earth  and  man  and  heaven,  the  Holy  Grhost 
flashes  light  and  power,  and  other  things  being  equal,  the 
effectiveness  of  the  Gospel  is  in  direct  ratio  with  the  intensity 
of  the  emotional. 

Would  to  God  that  the  whole  country  was  intensely  excited 
in  reference  to  religion,  that  every  sermon  would  make  the 
hearts  of  sinners  quake,  and  thrill  all  the -children  of  God; 
and  that  in  every  congregation  could  be  heard  cries  and  songs, 
and  mighty  shoutings.  In  the  use  of  this  means,  we  live  and 
move  and  have  our  being  ;  without  it^  neither  learning  nor 
legislation  nor  wealth,  can  save  us  from  ruin.  Every  thing 
truly  Methodistic  is  tremendously  in  earnest.  The  camp-meet- 
ing is  still  needful  in  the  country,  and  especially  upon  the 
borders  of  society  ;  protracted  meetings  should  be  vastly  mul- 
tiplied and  vitalized  in  all  the  churches,  and  every  other 
proper  means  should  be  employed,  that  will  make  men  feel  as 
well  as  know  their  duties,  their  danger,  and  their  privileges. 

Mr.  Wesley,  however,  quickly  perceived  that  zeal  to  save 
and  great  emotion  are  in  themselves  powerless,  hence  he 
learned,  appreciated  and  used  the  third  distinctive  characteristic 
of  Methodism. 

3.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  given  in  proportion  to  prayer  and 
faith. — All  the  Protestant  churches  taught  at  and  before  Wes- 
ley's day,  that  the  Spirit  accompanies  the  Word,  and  that  by 
Him  are  wrought  all  spiritual  changes  in  the  heart,  but  that  He 
would  be  manifested  without  limit,  in  answer  to  prayer  and 
faith,  to  convict,  to  convert,  and  to  bless,  was  not  only  a  new 
Biblical  interpretation,  but  was  so  repugnant  to  the  lifeless 
formalism  of  the  age,  as  to  be  scorned  as  a  mad  enthusiasm. 


18 


and  most  bitterly  hated  as  a  dangerous  innovation.  No  spe- 
cialty of  Methodism  has  been  so  generally  opposed,  or  so 
sneeringly  contemned,  and  yet  it  is  as  clearly  taught  in  the 
Bible  as  that  Jesus  Christ  died  for  sinners.  This  is  the  divine 
power  and  fire,  working  with  and  through  the  two  preceding 
functions,  and  making  them  able  to  pull  down  the  strong- 
holds of  the  devil.  It  is  not  our  theology,  or  zeal,  or  organi- 
zation, or  itinerancy,  that  has  been  the  effective  force  to  keep 
us  up  with  the  success  of  nations,  and  to  give  us  the  mastery 
over  all  the  activities  of  modern  life  ;  but  mighty  men  of  God, 
asking  and  receiving  the  Holy  Ghost  in  large  measure,  have 
preached  the  word  in  power,  and  have  produced  effects  that 
were  a  stumbling-block  to  formalists  and  foolishness  to  worldly 
wisdom.  This  heavenly  unction,  this  anointing  of  the  Holy 
Ghos-t,  this  clothing  of  words,  gestures  and  tones  with  the  eter- 
nal spirit,  was  first  developed  in  the  modern  pulpit  by  Mr. 
Wesley,  and  is  infinitely  more  convincing  than  all  argument, 
and  higher  and  nobler  than  all  oratory.  It  is  this  which  has 
made  our  uneducated,  inexperienced  preachers,  such  invincible 
sons  of  thunder  ;  it  is  this  that  has  made  our  exhortation,  now 
sadly  neglected,  such  a  blessing  to  the  church  and  to  the  world. 

Whoever  has  been  in  a  great  Methodist  congregation  upon  a 
day,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  gave  great  power  and  efiiciency  to 
all  the  service,  and  richly  dwelt  in  the  hearts  of  the  people, 
will  never  forget  it ;  even  down  to  old  age,  he  will  remember 
that  he  has  stood  upon  Mt.  Pisgah,  and  felt  breezes  from  the 
better-land.  There  is  nothing  sublimer  this  side  of  heaven, 
than  the  effects  of  prayer  and  faith  upon  a  congregation  ;  it 
was  astonishing  to  England  at  first,  and  is  a  marvel  yet  even 
to  some  evangelical  Churches.  These  great  displays  of  divine 
power  were  perhaps  more  sought,  and  more  common,  but  not 
more  needed  in  other  days  than  at  present ;  we  are  most  un- 
wisely relying  more  upon  talent  and  culture,  plans  and  visiting, 
and  less  upon  the  Holy  Ghost.  However  beautiful  and  useful 
these  agencies  may  be  as  auxiliaries,  none  of  them  can  substi- 
tute the  living  Spirit  of  God  in  the  Methodist  Church.  We 
have  sometimes  seen  these  works  of  the  Spirit  as  clearly  as 


19 


objects  of  sense.  iSometimes,  when  the  sermon  and  the  exhor- 
tation have  failed  to  bring  weeping  penitents  to  the  altar,  the 
congregation  has  risen  in  the  silent  grandeur  of  faith,,  and  soon 
the  hardest  hearts  by  scores  were  melted  before  the  Lord  ;  or 
when  praying  penitents  have  failed  to  be  converted,  and  fathers 
and  mothers  were  weeping  over  their  children,  the  Church  in 
deep  humiliation  has  prayed  as  one  man,  and  not  long  after- 
wards, shouts  and  hosannahs  were  heard  as  the  sounds  of 
many  waters  ;  or  when  the  spiritual  heavens  have  long  been 
as  brass,  and  every  soul  was  famishing,  then  in  answer  to  fer- 
vent prayer,  the  Lord  has  suddenly  come  to  his  temple,  and 
all  have  been  filled  with  glory  and  with  God. 
Then  all  could  feel  and  sing, — 

The  men  of  grace  have  found 

Glory  begun  below  ; 
Celestial  fruit  on  earthly  ground 

From  faith  and  hope  may  grow." 

Whatever  may  be  the  experience  of  individuals  and  of 
Churches,  this  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  in  answer  to  prayer 
;  is  thoroughly  Methodistic,  and  without  it  we  are  as  sounding 
i  brass  and  as  tinkling  cymbals. 

This  same  Gospel  function  has  been  emphasized  and  devel- 
oped by  Methodism,  in  another  particular  closely  allied  to  the 
above,  viz :  that  luJieri  ive  are  converted  we  may  know  our  ac- 
ceptance with  God.  The  old  interpretation  was,  that  the  Bible 
describes  a  Christian,  we  by  consciousness  and  observation 
know  that  we  accord  with  the  description  ;  therefore  and  thus, 
we  know  we  are  Christians.  But  Methodism  takes  a  stand- 
point higher,  clearer  and  vastly  more  satisfactory,  viz  :  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  bears  witness  or  gives  evidence  directly  to  our  souls 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God  ;  that  our  spirit  by  conscious- 
ness testifies  to  the  reality  of  this  witness  of  the  spirit  and  to 
our  new  condition  ;  and  that  by  observation  we  verify  these 
inward  testimonies  by  the  fruits  of  the  spirit ;  and  further- 
,  more,  that  in  this  condition  in  answer  to  prayer  and  faith,  the 
5  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,  and  that  thus  we  not 
8  only  have  promise  and  hope,  but  present  personal  joy,  indescri- 


20 

bable  and  full  of  glory.  This,  in  Mr.  Wesley's  day,  was  be- 
lieved by  none  but  the  Moravians,  and  by  all  others  was  most 
furiously  and  scoffingly  opposed.  The  Moravians  had  neither 
comprehended  nor  enjoyed  religion  in  such  fulness  and  power 
as  did  the  Methodists  ;  this  laughing,  crying,  shouting  and 
praising  God  was  a  new  bloom  upon  the  Gospel  tree,  and,  with 
all  its  heavenly  hues  and  divine  fragrance,  is  the  jest  and 
sarcasm  of  nearly  all  who  oppose  us.  This  is  peculiarly 
Methodistic,  and  our  earnest  prayer  is,  that  it  may  rapidly 
grow  in  extent  and  power  ;  that  those  among  us  who  never 
praised  God,  may  soon  begin  ;  that  in  winter  and  summer,  in 
youth  and  in  age, — 

"  We  may  tell  to  all  arouud 
What  a  dear  Saviour  we  have  foimd." 

This  is  the  strength  of  the  Church  in  extending  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  nurturing  souls  for  heaven. 

0,  that  God  would  powerfully  revive  religion  in  all  the 
Churches  ;  that  mere  morality,  formality  and  lukewarmness, 
may  be  quickened  and  kindled  into  a  blaze  of  holy  fire,  and 
that  Methodism  in  her  fulness  of  spiritual  life  may  everywhere 
be  heard  singing  and  shouting  on  her  journey  home. 

4.  The  fourth  and  last  distinctive  function  of  Methodism,  is 
the  substance  and  mode  of  singing. 

In  this  department,  Mr.  Wesley  produced  a  developement  as 
remarkable  as  it  has  been  influential.  Hundreds  of  new  hymns 
have  been  written,  so  excellent  in  taste,  and  so  well  adapted 
to  divine  worship,  that  they  have  taken  a  permanent  place  in 
the  hymnology  of  the  general  Church ;  and  while  the  tunes 
composed  and  selected  are  eminently  characteristic  of  our 
peculiar  life,  they  are  generally,  favorites  with  all  those  who 
enjoy  religion.  So  far,  there  was  simply  improvement ;  but  our 
revival  songs  and  tunes  were  absolutely  new.  Nothing  like  them 
had  been  known  to  the  Church  or  the  world  ;  and  while  culti- 
vated performers  despised  the  simplicity  and  rude  execution, 
they  were  charmed  by  the  aptness  of  words  and  the  sweetness 
of  melody. 


21 


In  ail  artistic  seuse,  Metliodist  music  has  perhaps  always 
held  a  second  or  a  third-rate  position  ;  hut  in  moving,  rousing, 
spiritual  power,  it  has  never  had  an  equal.  With  the  unlet- 
tered circuit-rider,  the  pioneer  missionary,  and  on  the  cotton 
plantations  of  the  South,  the  singing  has  often  been  the  best 
part  of  the  preaching.  When  twenty  thousand  Cornwall 
miners  sang  with  thrilling  religious  excitement,  an  English 
nobleman  declared  that  he  had  then  heard  the  Gospel  for  the 
first  time  ;  and  an  American  statesman  could  not  decide  whether 
it  was  better  to  hear  Bascom  preach,  or  to  hear  a  Kentucky 
congregation  sing  the  Old  Ship  of  Zion.  These  old  hymns 
and  tunes  are  not  only  sacred  by  association  and  age,  but  are 
intrinsically  suited  both  to  promote  religion  in  its  third  stage 
of  development,  and  to  express  it.  They  are  not  mere  poetic 
impulse  of  thought  and  fancy  ;  they  are  experience  spoken  by 
one  soul  to  another  ;  spiritual  life  eloquent  in  its  own  essential 
dialect ;  salvation  sung  by  its  own  living  harp.  Our  grand 
old  choruses  w^ere  born  in  revival  power,  ordained  unto  per- 
petual life  for  the  comfort  of  the  Lord's  own  precious  children, 
and  tuned  with  emotion  that  springs  from  the  deepest  currents 
of  immortality. 

All  over  England  and  America,  our  revival  singing  haj^ 
achieved  glorious  results  ;  it  is  a  rythmical,  impassioned  di- 
vinity that  nurtures  the  souls  of  believers,  helps  penitents  on 
their  way  to  the  cross,  and  touches  the  hearts  of  the  hardest 
sinners 

' '  Those  precious  songs  to  memory  dear, 
The  sweetest  balm  to  mortals  given  ; 
They  drive  away  all  doubt  and  fear, 
And  ofttimes  lift  the  soul  to  heaven." 

Let  us  improve  our  singing  to  the  utmost  degree  of  excel- 
lence ;  let  our  congregational  singing  be  inferior  to  none  upon 
earth,  let  Methodist  people  touch  the  piano,  the  guitar  and  the 
harp,  with  the  best  skill  and  the  finest  taste  ;  but  let  all  our 
precious  old  hymns  and  tunes  live  forever.  They  helped  us  in 
the.  days  of  our  penitence,  and  did  our  souls  good  when  we 
were  converted  ;  so  will  they  help  and  bless  our  children 


22 


ill  rough  all  the  ages  yet  to  be.  The  whole  world  ought  to 
thank  God  for  Methodism,  for  teaching  it  to  sing  all  the  emo- 
tions of  the  soul,  for  setting  religion  to  music  and  giving 
expression  to  the  richest  treasures  of  the  heart. 

Every  form  of  life  has  its  speech  articulate  or  inarticulate, 
each  epoch  of  religious  developement  has  had  its  singing  ex- 
pressive of  its  character  and  intent,  and  revival  singing  having 
arisen  with  the  developement  of  spirituality,  must  be  con- 
tinued wherever  and  as  long  as  this  spirit  animates  the  Church. 
Let  us  then  sing  our  old  songs  to  all  the  peoples  of  this  age, 
let  our  choruses  be  rolled  as  spiritual  thunder  round  all  the 
circuits  and  stations,  and  let  the  Church  on  earth  continually 
respond  to  the  great  multitude  of  the  redeemed  in  glory,  saying 

'^Alleluia,  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  reigneth." 

Such  is  the  Methodist  Church  in  its  distinctive  functions  ;  in  - 
four  fundamental  points  of  interpretation  and  action,  it  differs 
from  all  other  Churches  of  Christ.  This  difference  is  not  one 
of  opposition,  but  of  developement,  purpose  and  realization. 
Methodism  has  and  represents  in  general  all  that  the  other 
Churches  did  when  it  arose ;  but  it  has  and  represents  what 
they  did  not ;  it  goes  beyond  them  ;  it  was  absolutely  new  in 
its  outward  appearance,  and  represented  a  new  spirit  of  life 
and  new  fruits.  The  other  Churches  represented  the  Gospel 
in  the  intellect  and  in  the  civil  and  social  relations  of  life ; 
Methodism  represents  all  this,  and  in  addition  thereto,  is  the 
cultivation  and  exponent  of  the  Gospel  in  the  heart.  It  is 
as  clearly  a  new  growth  and  a  divinely  authorized  and  directed 
developement  of  all  that  existed  at  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  as  Pentecost  was  to  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount. 

The  MedijBval  Churches,  embracing  the  Catholic,  the  Epis- 
copal and  some  others,  were  full  of  outward  forms  representa- 
tive of  an  inner  w^ork  of  grace  upon  the  heart ;  Methodism  is 
the  exemplification  and  fulfilment  of  those  forms.  Those 
Churches  were  symbolic  and  prophetic  of  Methodism,  but  now 
the  symbol  is  realized  and  the  prophecy  fulfilled,  and  hence 


23 


such  forms  are  not  only  out  of  date  and  useless,  but  do  to  some 
extent  deny  the  manifest  work  of  God,  and  are  related  to  Meth- 
odism partially  at  least,  as  the  Jewish  synagogue  is  to  the 
Christian  Church.  Hence  all  pretence  of  ruling  us  out  of  the 
covenanted  grace  of  God,  because  of  succession  or  any  other 
theological  dogma,  is  not  only  unwarranted  by  the  Word  of 
God,  but  is  historically  absurd.  We  are  a  prophetic  develope- 
ment  and  new  growth  of  the  whole  Church  of  Christ  upon 
earth  ;  and  not  by  forms  and  beliefs,  but  in  living  reality, 
founded  upon  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  being 
the  chief  corner-stone." 

Methodism,  then,  is  not  properly  the  name  of  a  sect  or  denom- 
ination in  the  usual  sense,  but  of  a  growth  of  the  Gospel,  of 
the  religion  of  Christ  in  its  present  stage  of  developement.  It 
is  not  characterized  by  new  doctrines  or  fixed  forms,  but  by 
revivalism  and  spiritualism.  It  is  pre-eminently  aggressive 
against  all  the  works  of  the  devil.  Its  great  mission  is  to 
instruct  and  persuade  all  sinners  to  seek  religion  to-day,  as- 
suring them  that  they  may  be  converted,  and  may  be  assured 
of  their  acceptance  with  God.  To  promote  this  end,  the  emo- 
tional is  used  in  all  its  modes  and  to  the  utmost  of  its  power  ; 
as  long  as  the  intellect  alone  was  to  be  affected,  as  in  all  time 
prior  to  the  eighteenth  century,  instruction  and  argument  were 
quite  sufficient,  but  now  as  religion  is  to  go  into  the  heart  the 
seat  of  the  affections,  the  emotional  must  be  added  to  the  means 
formerly  used.  But  the  power  to  use  the  means  and  to  do  the 
work,  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Methodism  is  the  belief  that  this 
will  be  given  to  an  unlimited  extent,  and  in  proportion  to  prayer 
and  faith.  And  as  an  agency  and  aid  in  all  this,  a  new  kind 
of  singing  was  born  with  this  second  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
As  to  organization  and  discipline,  we  have  added  to  the  old  * 
only  so  much  as  was  necessary  to  carry  out  the  new  spirit  of 
life  within  us. 

Nothing  was  previously  planned  ;  providence  clearly  pointed 
out  every  thing  before  it  was  adopted  by  Mr.  Wesley,  and  all 
of  permanent  utility  that  has  since  been  taken_,  was  indicated 
in  the  same  way.    Organization  did  not  make  the  life  of 


24 


Methodism,  but  the  life  made  the  organization.  Itinerancy, 
the  Episcopacy,  Presiding  Elders,  and  the  Class  Meeting,  all 
came  forth  in  their  season  as  naturally  and  as  harmoniously 
as  leaves,  and  flowers,  and  fruit,  upon  the  trees  of  summer. 
As  the  church  advances  to  maturity,  doubtless  some  changes 
of  discipline  will  be  necessary  ;  but  their  necessity  must  be  seen 
and  judged  from  the  same  standpoint  from  which  the  church 
was  organized  at  first.  It  is  useless  to  tell  us  what  other 
churches  have  or  do  ;  they  are  not  as  we  are,  their  life  is  not  as 
ours,  they  do  not  propose  what  we  do.  Whoever  legislates  for 
our  church,  must  mentally  and  spiritually  comprehend  the 
life  and  soul  and  God-given  design  of  Methodism,  and  must 
himself  be  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Sinners  and  mere  moralists 
know  not  what  manner  of  persons  we  are,  and  their  honest 
opinions  may  be  exceedingly  unwise  and  harmful.  In  whatever 
forms  the  Word  of  God  has  free  course,  runs,  and  is  glorified 
in  the  salvation  of  sinners  ;  there  may  we  go ;  however  much 
they  may  jar  against  the  world  and  be  criticised  by  unsanctified 
wisdom.  The  terms  of  our  membership  are  accordant  with 
our  spirit  and  origin.  As  our  church  is  representative  of  the 
religion  of  the  heart,  our  terms  of  membership  are  of  the  same 
character.  A  church  whose  religion  is  founded  in  opinion, 
ought  to  base  its  terms  of  admission  upon  theoretical  faith, 
creeds  and  orthodoxy  ;  but  when  the  type  of  the  church  changes, 
so  should  the  terms.  We  are  ready  to  receive  all  who  desire 
to  flee  the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  be  saved  from  their  sins," 
who  believe  in  the  great  doctrines  of  redemption,  and  who  are 
willing  to  be  governed  by  our  form  of  discipline.  This  rises 
above  all  polemical  theology,  and  like  the  Saviour, 'seeks  to  save 
all  who  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  desire  a  present 
salvation. 

We  are  broad  and  liberal  as  the  Gospel,  and  yet  all  who 
enter  must  come  in  through  the  only  door  by  which  any  man 
can  be  saved.  Hence  Methodism  is  originally,  fundamentally 
and  organically,  unsectarian.  If  there  are  walls  of  separation 
between  us  and  other  churches,  they  are  not  of  our  building  ; 
if  the  whole  Christian  world  is  not  united,  we  are  not  to  blame. 


25 


For  one  hundred  years  we  "have  held  out  our  hands  all  the  day 
long,  and  asked  to  join  in  fellowship  with  all,  of  every  name 
and  nation,  who  love  the  Lord.  We  teach  what  we  think  to 
be  the  truth,  but  we  make  no  particular  construction  a  test  of 
membership,  and  wage  no  war  upon  any  man  or  church  what- 
ever. We  have  our  own  modes,  but  do  not  condemn  those  of 
others ;  we  freely  open  our  churches  to  all  denominations,  and 
cordially  invite  them  all  to  our  table  of  communion,  and  are 
truly  sorry  that  some  of  them  will  not  come.  We  should  be  truly 
glad  to  see  all  differences  removed,  all  occasions  of  discord  ob- 
literated, and  all  disturbances  of  brotherhood  abolished  ;  and 
to  all  churches  and  peoples  we  offer,  universal  amity  and  Chris- 
tian union. 

"  Then  let  us  e\^er  bear 

The  blessed  end  in  view, 
And  join  with  mutual  care 
To  fiiiht  our  passage  through, 
And  kindly  help  each  other  on, 
Till  all  receive  the  starry  crown." 

With  the  love  of  God  in  our  own  hearts,  and  an  earnest 
desire  for  the  salvation  of  all  men,  we  say  : 

• '  Ho  !  every  one  that  thirsts,  draw  nigh  ; 
'Tis  God  invites  the  fallen  race  : 
Mercy  and  free  salvation  buy  ; 

Buy  wine,  and  railk,  and  gospel  grace. 

Come  to  the  living  waters,  come  ! 

Sinners,  obey  your  Maker's  call : 
Return,  ye  weary  wand'rers,  home, 

And  find  my  grace  is  free  for  all. 

See  from  the  rock  a  fountain  rise  ; 

For  you  in  healing  streams  it  rolls  ; 
Money  ye  need  not  bring,  nor  price, 

Ye  lab' ring,  burdened,  sin-sick  souls. 

Nothing  ye  in  exchange  shall  give. 

Leave  all  you  have,  and  are  behind  ; 
Frankly  the  gift  of  God  receive. 

Pardon  and  peace  in  Jesus  find." 

And  now     Unto  Him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
wins  in  His  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God  and  his  Father  ;  to  Him  he  glory  and  dominion  for 
ever  and  ever.  Amen.'" 
3 


i 


Date  Due 

Nov  17  3C 

1 
» 

r 

L.  B.  Cat.  No.  1 137 

Borrowed  froxa  Peacock  Uol. 

v4 


l^.bl     N873      P      ,  270ir 


IT,  Pa.rrphleta 


DATE  DUE  ISSUED  TO 


97?.  61       N875       P  ?7018 


